We here publish the video footage of the debate between Alan Woods – editor of www.marxist.com and author of “Bolshevism: the Road to Revolution” – and Orlando Figes – Professor of History at Birkbeck University and author of “A People’s Tragedy” – on the true nature of the Russian Revolution, and what it meant for the people of Russia and the class struggle internationally.

For Marxists and revolutionary socialists, the Russian Revolution of October 1917 was undoubtedly the single greatest event in human history. For the first time in history, the oppressed rose up against their oppressors and took control of their lives into their own hands.

For others, the Russian Revolution was nothing more than a Bolshevik coup, which could only succeed thanks to the “cult of personality” surrounding Lenin, and which sowed the seeds for the monstrosities of Stalinism.

Hear both sides of view at this special event, hosted by the Marxist Student Federation in London, which saw two renowned authors on the Russian Revolution debate about the true nature of this important historical event.